An illustrated biography of the life of Edith Renfrow Smith is now available for purchase from the Pioneer Bookstore (first edition, higher print quality) and from major retailers like Amazon (print on demand edition). Remarkable at age 111 as of July 14, 2025, she is an inspiration to many. She was born in Grinnell, Iowa, in 1914 to one of the few Black families in the area. Her grandparents were born into slavery. Her grandfather escaped via the Underground Railroad, traveling through Grinnell with John Brown in 1859. Her mother’s passion for education inspired all six of the Renfrow children to go to college. In 1937, Edith Renfrow became the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College. In September 2024, the college named their newest building Renfrow Hall in her honor. She was 110 years old at the time of the building dedication. She flew from Chicago to Grinnell in a private jet, was greeted by the community with a parade, and participated in the weekend of celebration in her honor.
This website documents the process of writing the book which was published in January 2024. It includes the ways that Mrs. Renfrow Smith and her daughter, Alice Smith, were involved every step of they way. You can order your copy from the Pioneer Bookstore in Grinnell.
Read about me and why I did this on the About the Author page.
Read about the journey of publishing this book
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Ripple effect
There is a small group of us who have been dreaming of widespread awareness of the Renfrow story for several years. Dan Kaiser started researching the Renfrow family around 2014 for his Grinnell Stories blog. It was because of him that I first made contact with Edith and was able to scan dozens of her…
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Kickstarting a new venture
Asking for money is just always awkward, at least for me! But making this book a reality is going to take more money than I have to spend on it, so I find myself venturing into the world of Kickstarter, an online funding tool. The way Kickstarter works is you have to define your project…
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If I were to write a mission statement…
This morning my husband, Craig, and I were talking as we enjoyed our morning drinks. This is the delightful way we start every day and is when we work through most of the issues of our life. This morning it was all about this book project and the excitement of making the news public this…
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Follow the project on Facebook & Instagram
Looking at ways to optimize the project reach using social media, here are two things I’m planning to do that I invite you to consider joining. First, I’ve created a public Facebook group for the project. You can bet I’ll be sharing updates on the project on my personal page, but that will only reach…
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Why I’m self-publishing
I’ve been thinking about this project for a while. There are lots of ways that one can go about doing something like this. While I absolutely believe that Edith’s story is one that should be shared far and wide, I also want to write it to and for Grinnellians – those who are/were residents of…
Pictures with Edith Renfrow Smith 2015-2023
No One is Better than You: Edith Renfrow Smith and the Power of a Mother’s Words
An illustrated biography for all ages.
Description
This illustrated biography is targeted at upper elementary readers but will be enjoyed by all ages. It has a strong message of empowerment. The text is by Monique McLay Shore, a friend of Mrs. Renfrow Smith who has spent several years researching her life. Illustrations are by Erica L. Butler, a Seattle based African American artist. Edith Renfrow Smith and her daughter, Alice Frances Smith, have been involved in the process from the very beginning. The posts on this website document the process of writing the book.
“No one is better than you. They may have more money. They may be more beautiful. But no one is any better than you.”
This wisdom learned from her mother has been a guiding message for Edith and one she shares frequently with others. It is fitting that this message is the cornerstone of the book about her life.
The Renfrow Story 